Heroes in New York Mets History: Edgardo Alfonzo

A brief testimonial honoring infielder Edgardo Alfonzo, a seminal figure of New York Mets history.

Oct 17, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Former New York Mets Edgardo Alfonzo throws out the ceremonial first pitch before game four of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Very few players in the history of New York Mets baseball are as universally loved as Edgardo "Fonzie" Alfonzo.

The statistics alone, while undoubtedly impressive, do not tell the full story of what Fonzie meant to the Mets during his eight seasons in Queens.

His 29.7 wins above replacement places him seventh among all players in Mets history, and he ranks within the franchise's top 10 in all-time hits, doubles, and total bases. His career batting average (.292) and on base percentage (.367) as a Met are in the same ballpark (no pun intended) as David Wright and Carlos Beltran. Alfonzo still holds the franchise record for most hits in a game, when he went 6-for-6 with *3 home runs* against the Houston Astros during the 1999 regular season.

However, what many Mets fans remember him most for are the times Alfonzo had the game in the palm of his hands and seized it. The moments that endure, passed down from generation to generation as the stuff of legend.

There was the 1999 playoffs. The Mets were forced to play a singular "play-in" game against the Cincinnati Reds the day after the conclusion of the regular season after both teams finished 96-66.

In the first inning of the game, Alfonzo batted second in the order, and drove in leadoff man Rickey Henderson when he clobbered a pitch over the center field fence. The Mets won that game 5-0 and advanced to the NLDS to face the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The very next night, in Game 1 of the NLDS in Arizona, Alfonzo homered to deep center in his first at-bat of the game again, this time off of Randy Johnson (yes, that one). In the top of the ninth inning later that night, Alfonzo broke a 4-4 tie game with a grand slam down the left field line.

There was the 2000 playoffs, in which the Mets would win their first NL pennant since the glorious 1986 season thanks to more Fonzie heroics. In Game 3 of the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants, he doubled home Lenny Harris to tie the game 2-2. The pitcher he bested was none other than Robb Nen, one of the most dominant high-leverage relievers in the league.

To his teammates, Fonzie was revered for his selfless attitude. Despite bursting onto the scene as a rookie third-baseman, Alfonzo was forced to move to second base to accommodate the arrival of Robin Ventura prior to the 1999 regular season. I could explain how that position change worked out for both player and team, but I'll lean on the Sports Illustrated's magazine cover from the issue published on September 6th of that year - titled "The Best Infield Ever?" - to do that instead.

The Venezuelan was enshrined in the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 2021.

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